


C'thia

by LemonScience33



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Magical Realism, Mild Sexual Content, Minor Violence, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 07:35:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2142567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LemonScience33/pseuds/LemonScience33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <i>n., reality-truth/logic/the way things are</i>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>
  <i>One sentient being cannot injure another without the assistance of a weapon, a chemical, gravity, or some other tool. </i>
</p><p>This is basic biology. Spock has known this since he was three.</p>
            </blockquote>





	C'thia

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to irisbleufic for the beta <3

_One sentient being cannot injure another without the assistance of a weapon, a chemical, gravity, or some other tool._

This is basic biology. Spock has known this since he was three.

It would be impossible for Spock to physically harm someone with his bare hands, not without slamming them into something hard or throwing them off something tall.

Still, hitting others is illogical, Spock’s father chides him. Hitting causes pain, and causing pain to others for its own sake is illogical.

Spock doesn’t say what he wants to say – that his peers’ attempts to cause him emotional pain are just as illogical as the physical pain he inflicted today.

Both left no visible marks.

 

-

 

There are old Vulcan legends about something called a telsu k’buk, a rare and ancient form of t’hy’la which means, in loose Standard, _one who is bonded by fate_.

Mother says the Standard term is _soulmate._

Spock reads a story about bondmates who do not know they are also telarsu k’buk:

The pair decides to spar for pleasure and practice, using bare hands to preclude physical harm. One strikes the other in the face and causes blood to flow. Enraged at his t’hy’la’s apparent betrayal – using a weapon in a bare-handed sparring match – the injured one beats the other back, dealing pain in retribution. He fails to notice in his rage that his blows are causing not only pain but injury, and by the time he sees the blood, his t’hy’la is dead.

The fable is nothing more than a cautionary tale, a warning to gather and consider all the facts of a situation before acting – to keep emotion from ruling.

The warning is wise, but Spock finds the story itself – the idea that buk is real _,_ or that anyone could harm someone with bare hands – utterly absurd.

 

-

 

When Spock meets James T. Kirk, he wants to cause him pain.

It is an illogical desire, surely, but Spock can see no harm in imagining twisting Kirk’s arm behind his back until it breaks as if by bludgeon, or of placing hands on his throat until his trachea collapses.

There may come a time when pain is required to subdue this delinquent.

 

-

 

Kirk saves Vulcan.

Then, Kirk saves Earth.

Spock is grateful beyond anything he has felt before.

However, Kirk is still illogical and repellant. When Kirk becomes Spock’s first officer, he still has no respect for Spock’s authority.

Spock’s fantasies of causing Kirk pain and injury do not abate. If anything, they become more disturbing. He imagines scratching nails down Kirk’s back (not only to cause pain, but to _mark_ ). He imagines the alien red blood that would spring to the surface as if Spock had used an implement.

Spock has never had the control over his dreams that he should.

Spock dreams of thrusting into Kirk so abruptly that he cries out in discomfort even as he pulls Spock closer. He dreams of spreading Kirk’s legs until Kirk’s muscles protest, just to feel the way it stretches Kirk inside. Spock dreams of Kirk biting into him, leaving a necklace of green marks.

These thoughts are illogical, but they are not as repellent as they should be.

That is when Spock realizes, with sinking certainty, that his fixation on Kirk is not mere irritation.

Not at all.

 

-

 

Kirk has been harassing Spock for weeks about sparring together.

“C’mon, Spock,” Kirk says, fluttering his lashes and unleashing what Spock has come to think of as _the charming smile._ “It’s not like you can hurt me. I can take a beating. I can take pain. Lay it on me.”

Spock is concerned that if they spar, he’ll reveal more than he intends, both about his attraction to Kirk and about his shameful fantasies. And yet, perhaps touching Kirk in this way will provide a safe outlet for Spock’s conflicted emotions. Perhaps if Spock sees he can’t injure Kirk with bare hands (of course, of _course_ he can’t injure Kirk with bare hands), the dreams of marking and being marked by him will stop.

“Very well,” he says.

 

-

 

Spock lands several blows before Kirk’s fist finally connects with Spock’s nose. It hurts, which is to be expected, but Spock pushes aside the pain and assesses the situation. Kirk seems distracted by his small victory, and Spock takes advantage of the opportunity to sweep Kirk’s feet from under him and pin him to the mat, straddling his chest.

Kirk’s eyes are wide. He’s frozen, staring at Spock and breathing heavily.

A drop of sweat falls from Spock’s nose and lands on Kirk’s bare chest.

Kirk’s eyes follow it, growing wider.

_This doesn’t make sense. Sweat isn’t…_

Spock frowns and swipes at his nose.

His fingers come back green.

He stands and calmly excuses himself.

 

-

 

“Do Vulcans have the same legends Terrans do?” Kirk says from the door to Spock’s quarters.

“I did not give you permission to enter.”

“I hacked the lock,” Kirk says, crossing to where Spock is meditating. “We’re not gonna talk about this?”

Spock looks at Kirk’s face, at his full mouth and vibrant blue eyes, and sees… swelling, there, on the left side of the bottom lip. A bruise, around his eye. “This is impossible,” Spock says. “You were weaponless, as was I. We refrained from wearing even gloves or shoes.”

Kirk smiles and rubs his hand over the back of his neck. “Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of… _you know_..." Kirk catches his bottom lip between his teeth and swipes his tongue over it. When Spock does not speak, Kirk continues. "Soulmates, Spock. Even if Vulcans don’t talk about it, you’re half-human and at some point your mother should have–”

“I am familiar with the concept,” Spock says.

“So why is this impossible?” Kirk says. He sounds tense, as if Spock’s opinion on the matter means a great deal to him.

Spock wants to reply, _Because there’s no such thing as fate._ He wants to say, _Because I hated you when I met you._ Instead, he thinks of the legend of telarsu k’buk. He considers all the facts of the situation.

“Perhaps it is not,” he says, and looks up into illogical, lovely blue eyes.

Kirk smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this post](http://journeyintomystery.co.vu/post/94531640645), obviously with a twist. Original post by [spiderjockey](http://spiderjockey.tumblr.com/post/91277093285/soulmate-au-where-only-your-soulmate-can-kill-you).


End file.
